Pontoon construction



jms EQ, 95@ w J. ANERSQN PONTOON CONSTRUCTION Patented Jan. l0, y1950UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PON TOON CONSTRUCTION William J. Sanderson,Madison, Wis. Application February 16, 1946, Serial No. 648,046

6 Claims.

.V This invention relates to improvements in pontoons forhydro-airplanes or the like, and refers specifically to a pontoonconstruction which embodies shock absorbing features.

One of the objects of my invention resides in the provision of a pontoonstructure having a movable bottom whereby impacts or forces encounteredby the pontoon tend to move the bottom against a resilient resistingmedium thereby absorbing the impact or shock.

Another object of myl invention resides in the provision of acompartmented pontoon structure wherein resilient, buoyant members arecarried, each resilient buoyant member serving to cushion the movementof the bottom when the latter is subjected to an impact or shock.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from theaccompanying drawing and following detailed description. Y

In the drawings, Fig. l is a vertical elevational view, parts beingbroken away and parts being shown in section of my pontoon construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, transverse sectional View taken on the line 2-2of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary, sectional elevation illustrating thecushioning means employed in my pontoon construction.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I indicates generally a pontoonconstructed in accordance with the concept of my invention, The pontoonmay be employed with the usual hydro-airplane in which case two or moreof such pontoons would be utilized.

The pontoon I comprises a top 2, sides 3 and bottom 4. The top, sidesand bottom walls may be constructed of a relatively lightweight wood,plastic material, or may be constructed of rela tively light weightmetal such as aluminum or magnesium.

The walls 2, 3 and 4 defining the pontoon structure are carried by framemembers 5 which extend the entire length of the pontoon I at its uppercorners. The members 5 may be constructed of steel angle irons or saidmembers may comprise aluminum or plastic angles. l l

The bottom 4 is tapered toward the forward'end thereof vas indicated at6 and is also tapered toward the rearward end as indicated at I. Thebottom preferably is constructed of one piece ofmaterial but maycomprise a number of panels f joined together as a unitary structure. Bythe provision of a unitary structure of this type; that is, where theentire bottom is movable as a unit, shocks received by any portion ofthe bottom will be uniformly distributed and absorbed by the enedges ofthe partitions I0.

tire bottom, as willbe hereinafter more fully described. The forward endof the bottom 4 is pivoted as at 8 whereby the entire bottom may bemoved through a relatively small angle about said pivot 8, as will behereinafter more fully described, Angles 9 extend along the length ofthe bottom 4 and the bottom 4 including the panels 6 and 1', rest uponone leg of each of the angles 9. Thus, the clockwise movement of thebottom 4 about the pivot 8, as viewed in Fig. l, is limited by contactof the bottom 4 with the lower legs of the angles 9, as shown best inFig. 2.

` The pontoon I is divided by a plurality of parti- 3 tions Ill into aplurality of compartments or bulkheads I I. The partitions I Il arejoined to the top 2 and side walls 3 of the pontoon by means of anglemembers I2. The lower edge of each of the partitions I0 are protected bya channel member.

I3.. It is to be understood that the angle mem' v movement of the bottom4 about the pivot' is limited by contact of the bottom 4 with the loweredges of the partitions I0. Consequently it can readily be seen that thebottom 4 has a degree of movement defined by the channels 9 and thelower In each of the compartments II a pair of in ated bladders I4 arepositioned. The bladders I 4 may be conveniently inated by means ofcheekA valves I5 carried by plate I 6 which is mounted upon one sidewall 3 of the pontoon. Although only one set of check valves I 5 isshown, it is to be understood that the iniiated bladders I4 in eachcompartment may be provided with similar check` valves. l

The construction of the bladders I 4 is such that when the saine areinflated they extend beneath the lower edges of the partitions I IJ,thereby forcing the bottom 4 into resilient contact with the y lowerlegs or flanges of the angle members 9. It

can readily be seen that with this arrangement forward movement ordownward movement of the pontoon I against the water tends to rock thebot-f torn 4 in a counterclockwise direction about the pivot 8, asviewed in Fig. l. Obviously if the bottom 4 is subjected to an impact orshock due to the forward motion or abrupt downward motion of thepontoon, the bottom 4 will rock about. the pivot 8 and such movementwill be resiliently resisted by the inated bladders 4. In this manner acushioning means is provided which tends to absorb all shocksencountered by the pontoon ln its normal usage.

Referring particularly to Figs. l and 3, members il are positionedadjacent the lower edges of each of the partition walls I0. The membersH may be constructed of sponge rubber or other cushioning means which isresistant to water. Resilient protecting corners I8, line the lowersurfaces of the cushion members I1 and protect said cushion :members Thelinking mem-bers i8 are preferably secured at their lower edges to thebottom 4.

The arrangement is such that the cushioning members l1 protect theinflated bladders I4 upon swingable movement of the bottom 4 *fromlbeing pinched between the bottom 4 and the loweredges of the partitionsID. The lining I8 may comprise canvas or other exible material which hashigh abrasion resistance.

It is to be understood, of course, that other obvious expediente may rbeemployed without departing from the spirit of my invention. Forinstance, the inated bladders IA may be supplanted by highly poroussponge rubber blocks which are possessed of a high degree of buoyancyand a high degree of resilience. In employing sponge rubber blocks theaction upon the ybottom 4 when an impact or ,shock is encountered .is-the same as thatperformed by the inflated bladders, that is, the bottommoves against the resilient resisting medium to absorb the impact orshock.

I claim as my invention:

1. A pontoon comprising in .combination a hollow bodyl having side wallsand a top, transverse partitions in said body dividing .the interiorthereof into compartments, a bottom pivotally securedat one end to saidbody to :form a olosure for all said compartments, resilient memberscarried in seid compartments exerting `resilient pressure against saidbottom, means ,-ior restricting movement of ,said bottom in .response tosaid resilient pressure, ,and means permitting moyement of said bottomagainst said -resilient pressure.

2. ,A pontoon comprising in combination, a hollow body having side wallsand a top, transverse partitions in said body dividing the vinteriorthereof into compartments, the lower Aedges of said partitionsterminating shortof saidside Walls, a bottom pivotally secured at onerend to said body and being substantially ooextensive in .area with saidtop, said bottom forming .a closure for all of said compartments,resilient members `carried in said compartments exerting resilientpressure against said bottom, urging ,said bottom .away from the loweredges of said partitions, means spaced from the lower edges of saidpartitions restricting movement of said bottom in response to saidresilient pressure, movement of said .bottom against said resilientpressure being limited by contact of said bottom vand the lower edges ofvsaid partitions.

3. A pontoon comprising in combination, a hollow body having side wallsand a -top, transverse partitions in said body dividing the Vinteriorthereof into compartments, a bottom pivotall-y secured at one end Atosaid body and forming a bottom closure for all of said compartments,said bottom extending substantially the entire length of said body,inflated members vcarried in said compartments exerting resilientpressure against said bottom, means for restricting movement of '4 saidbottom in response to said resilient pressure, and means permittingmovement of said bottom against said resilient pressure.

4. A pontoon comprising in combination, a hollow body having side wallsand a top, transverse partitions in said body dividing the interiorthereof into compartments, the lower edges of said partitionsterminating short of said side walls, a bottom pivotally secured at oneend to said lbod-y .and forming a bottom closure for all of saidcompartments, said bottom extending substantially the entire length ofsaid body, inflated lmember carried in each of said compartmentsexerting resilient pressure against said bottom, urging said bottom awayfrom the lower edges of .said partitions, means spaced from the loweredges of said partitions restricting movement of said lbottom inresponse to said resilient pressure, vmovement of said bottom againstsaid resilient pressure being limited by contact of said bottom and thelower edges of said partitions.

5. A pontoon comprising in combination, a hollow body having side wallsand a top, transverse partitions in said body dividing'the interiorthereof into compartments, a 'bottom pivoted at the forward end of saidbody and forming a bottom closure for all of said compartments, saidbottom extending substantially the entire length of said body, resilientmembers carried `in said compartments adapted to exert yieldablepressure against said bottom, and means for permitting limited movementof said bottom about said pivot against said yieldable pressure toabsorb shocks encountered by the bottom when said pontoon movesforwardly.

6.' A pontoon comprising in combination, a hollow body having side wallsand a top, transverse partitions in said body dividing the interiorthereof into compartments, the lower edges of said partitionsterminating ,short of 4said side walls, a bottom pivotally secured .atone end 'to said body and forming a bottom closure for all of saidcompartments, said bottom extending substantially the entire length ofsaid body, resilient members carried in said compartments exertingresilient pressure against said bottom, urging said bottom away from thelower edges of said parti-y tions, means spaced from the lower edges ofs aid partitions restricting movement of said bottom in response `tosaid resilient pressure, movement. of said -bottomagainst said resilientpressure being limited by contact of said bottom and the lower edges ofsaid partitions, protecting means positioned adjacent the lower edges ofsaid partitions to prevent pinching of said resilient members betweensaid bottom and the lower edges .of said partitions.

WILLIAM J. SANDERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe iile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date g 2,265,206 S-tampil Dec. 9, 1941FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 293,265 Germany Dec. 2, 1919,414,032 France Aug. 24, 1910 1,171,046

